Hadja Kouyaté & Ali Boulo Santo "Manding-Ko" (2001)

Manding-Ko
release date: 2001
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5]
producer: Jeff Sharel, Frédéric Galliano
label Frikyiwa - nationality: Senegal

Studio album of Mandé folk music by vocalist Hadja Kouyaté and kora-instrumentalist and singer Ali Boulo Santo. The music is not far from that by Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté, only I find this less mesmerizing, less musically vivid and simply less interesting.

Kele "Trick" (2014)

Trick
release date: Oct. 13, 2014
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,68]
producer: Kele Okereke with Alex Brady and Tom Belton
label: Lilac Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "First Impressions" - 2. "Coasting" - 9. "Silver and Gold"

2nd full-length solo album by Kele (Okereke) and his first release on his own label, Lilac Records. The 10 track album continues down the electronic and alt. dance path that he has proven to prefer as a solo artist, which also explains the influences one may find on the last three Bloc Party albums.
I don't find this as daring or intriguing as his fine solo debut Boxer from 2010. On Trick he stays on the main road of disco-influenced house or deep house, and I think it somewhat disappoints by staying much in the same mode without much to offer than simple drum and bass-backed compositions. In fact the tracks are so similar that they turn out as mere remixes of the same idea, or old Bloc Party tunes, which doesn't help much on the impression of the various tracks or the album in general.
Not recommended.

Neil Young "Mirror Ball" (1995)

Mirror Ball
release date: Jun. 27, 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,54]
producer: Brendan O'Brien
label: Reprise Records - nationality: Canada / USA

22nd studio album by Neil Young was promoted as a collaboration of Neil Young and Pearl Jam, however, all tracks except track #8, "Piece and Love" (written by Eddie Vedder) were written by Young, and the album is basically a Young studio release with Pearl Jam (without Vedder) as his backing band; however, Pearl Jam producer Brendan O'Brien was brought in to produce the album to add some of the Pearl Jam-energy to this Neil Young album. Not surprisingly, the style is highly influenced by grunge rock exemplified by Pearl Jam.
The album was generally met by positive reviews and made it to number #6 on the Canadian albums chart list, number #5 in the US, and to number #4 in the UK.
Apparently, the recording sessions were a bunch of studio sessions with Young and Pearl Jam playing around recording takes as they got along without any pre-written material.
I have never really liked this particular album, and mostly think of it as murky and simply without a distinct vision. It's basically just jam session material and without a single great song.
The album is not recommended for anything but background noise and / or for collectors only.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, NME 4,5 / 5  stars ]

The Sugarcubes "Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week!" (1989)

Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week!
release date: Sep. 1989
format: vinyl (gatefold) / cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,63]
producer: The Sugarcubes, Derek Birkett
label: One Little Indian - nationality: Iceland

Tracklist: 1. "Tidal Wave" - 2. "Regina" (4 / 5) - 3. "Speed Is the Key" - 4. "Dream TV" - 5. "Nail" - 6. "Pump" (3 / 5) - 7. "Eat the Menu" - 8. "Bee" - 9. "Dear Plastic" - 10. "Shoot Him" - 11. "Water" - 12. "A Day Called Zero" - 13. "Planet"

2nd studio album by The Sugarcubes was a highly expected follow-up to a very interesting debut, but moreover, they were so overly hyped at the time after the debut that they could only fail to fulfill the expectations, and therefore they did. I was extremely disappointed and didn't even buy the album at the time. My initial ratings were probably 2 out of 5 stars as I only thought it had one great song, and one so-so. About ten years after I was so tired of Björk's singing voice that I still couldn't listen to this, so it's actually not until after 2005 that I have come to appreciate this album more. Still, I think it contains one great song, and it's still "Regina", which I think nearly pars "Birthday", but the remaining songs appear much better - today, I think. "Tidal Wave" is a fine track, and a few others shine thanks to varied, complex and good songwriting, BUT it's also music a bit away from the daring simple indie pop, which brought them fame in the first place. The song "Pump" sounds like Björk solo, maybe like a track from Debut (1993) or Post (1995)? I don't think this is their very best but in retrospect, I don't think The Sugarcubes ever released anything poor and this album still contains a few good singles.

Mew "And the Glass Handed Kites" (2005)

And the Glass Handed Kites
release date: Sep. 26, 2005
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]
producer: Michael Beinhorn
label: Sony BMG - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 5. "Apocalypso" (3,5 / 5) - 6. "Special" (4 / 5) - 7. "The Zookeeper's Boy" (4,5 / 5)

4th studio album by Mew is a move into a more progressive style with a heavier sound thanks to alt. rock producer Michael Bienhorn. The compositions has a clear post-rock style, which puts the band aside Sigur Rós more than ever with this album. All tracks are woven together leaving no clear gaps in between the single compositions.
I kind of like the album, although, I also find it a bit on the pretentious side. One cannot put a finger on their musical skills - it simply just appears too mind-constructed in the sense that not all tracks feel like part of a progression, so that the overall sensation of an album with one long take partly fails leaving that idea as a mere construction per se - form over matter.
Bassist Johan Wohlert left the band after the release to focus on his family, although he would later rejoin the band prior to the band's fifth album "+ -" (2015).
The album cover has been criticized for being one of the worst covers in 2005, and to that I consent.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Drowned in Sound 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Peace, Love & Pitbulls "3" (1997)

3
release date: 1997
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,82]
producer: Sankan (aka Ulf Karl Sanken Sandqvist)
label: MVG Records - nationality: The Netherlands / Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Black Dog Bliss" - 3. "Caveman" - 7. "Youth"

3rd and final studio album by the Thåström-project band Peace, Love & Pitbulls - here in a minimised version as Peter Puders left Joakim Thåström, Niklas Hellberg and Sanken Sandqvist to continue and eventually also end the project as a trio.
Musically, there's considerable change towards both more melodic and slower songs within an industrial rock universe.
The album is imho, clearly the bands best without really impressing. It's still not really good, although, it remains the band's best attempt. After listening to this, you might suggest that bands like Rammstein and Marilyn Manson should pay tribute to Peace, Love & Pitbulls as inspirational source, and Brian Hugh Warner (Manson) has allegedly pointed out that he for one listened to PL&P.
Peace, Love & Pitbulls disbanded after this release and Thåström restarted his solo career.
Not really recommended.

Arctic Monkeys "Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys?" (2006) (ep)

Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys?, ep
release date: Apr. 24, 2006
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

Track highlights: 1. "The View From the Afternoon" (4 / 5) - 2. "Cigarette Smoker Fiona" - 3. "Despair in the Departure Lounge" - 4. "No Buses" - 5. "Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys?"

Here's another fine release by these Arctic garage rockers. The ep starts off with the first track from the band's recent album debut but then very decently presents four new tracks that could easily have been included on the debut, and one could easily get the impression that they were capable of having filled a double album with fine songs instead of a regular 1-disc debut album.

Best of 2008:Sigur Rós "Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust" (2008)

Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
release date: Jun. 23, 2008
format: 2 lp vinyl (XL LP 364 / 2343161) / cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,62]
producer: Sigur Rós, Flood
label: Krúnk / XL Recordings // EMI Japan - nationality: Iceland

Tracklist: 1. "Gobbledigook" (5 / 5) - 2. "Inní mér syngur vitleysingur" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Góðan daginn" (5 / 5) - 4. "Við spilum endalaust" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Festival" (4,5 / 5) (live) - 6. "Með suð í eyrum" - 7. "Ára bátur" - 8. "Íllgresi" - 9. "Fljótavík" (4,5 / 5) - 10. "Straumnes" - 11. "All Alright" - 12. "Heima" (bonus track)

5th studio album by Sigur Rós originally released on EMI is produced by Sigur Rós and Flood [Mark Ellis]. The title translates to English "With a buzz in our ears we play endlessly." The album may follow the 2007 Hvarf / Heim compilation but is the natural follow-up to Takk... from 2005 making it the band's first album with newly composed material in three years.

Musically, it also builds quite naturally on the traits from Takk... (2005). It's still certified post rock, but it has more focus on dream pop harmonies as opposed to progressive ambient, which was more accentuated on ( ), the brackets album from 2002.

I think, it's the closest they have come to produce a "conventional" pop album with several shorter tracks. The longest composition here is "Festival" (9:23), which is more of a "typical" Sigur Rós composition starting off quietly, slow and soft and then builds up to a fantastic explosion of percussion, bass and guitar in a blast of a finale.

This is my absolute favourite by the band, and I find it their most vivid and energetic outburst of all their great albums. To me, this is easily this year's best album, although, for years I played Bloc Party's Intimacy more often. However, in retrospect, this album is more enduring - perhaps with more layers to dig into - and the true masterpiece of not only 2008 but of the new millennium.

Highly recommended!

[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, The Observer 5 / 5 stars ]

2008 Favourite releases: 1. Sigur Rós Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust - 2. Bloc Party Intimacy - 3. Alanis Morissette Flavors of Entanglement

John Mayer "Inside Wants Out" (1999) (ep)

Inside Wants Out, ep [debut]
release date: Sep. 24, 1999
format: cd (2002 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,34]
producer: John Mayer, Glenn Matullo, David LaBruyere
label: Columbia - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Back To You" - 2. "No Such Thing" - 3. "My Stupid Mouth" - 4. "Neon" - 6. "Love Soon"

Studio ep debut by John Mayer is originally a self-released album on Mayer Music containing nine tracks; however, the original cd was released in limited numbers and it was reissued in 2002 by Columbia now leaving one track out from the original.
Stylistically, it's mostly pop / rock but with a clear inspiration from jazz, blues rock, and rhythm & blues. The first four songs would later be included on his full-length studio album debut Room for Squares (2001) in slightly completely altered versions. Especially the track "Neon" - here an acoustic solo, is transformed into a more electrified pop / rock band-version on the 2001 album.
The album contains both slick produced tracks as well as completely narrowly produced compositions showcasing Mayer as a singer / songwriter, folk artist picking his acoustic guitar while singing. And actually, the overall negative aspect about the ep is that Mayer stays undecided as to whether he wants to appeal to a predominantly pop / rock audience or a more folk and jazz-based crowd. Something that he should always be in doubts about it seems.
This first collection of songs points in two separate directions, but it also reveals a gifted artist with a broad repertoire. All in all, it's fine, although, it leaves you thinking, it could have been great.

"The Blues Brothers" (OST) (1980)

The Blues Brothers (soundtrack)
release date: Jun. 20, 1980
format: vinyl (ATL 50 715) / digital (1995 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]
producer: Bob Tischler
label: Atlantic - nationality: USA

Soundtrack album for the John Landis comedy hit film "The Blues Brothers" (1980) starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd - a film based on the characters, The Blues Brothers, invented by Belushi and Aykroyd for the Saturday Night Live comedy show in '78. The album may also be seen as the second of three albums by The Blues Brothers, who made their album debut in Nov. '78 with the live album Briefcase Full of Blues.
The music on the album is a mix of tracks either featuring The Blues Brothers, or some of the stars featuring in the film, which includes Cab Calloway, John Lee Hooker, Chaka Khan, Ray Charles, James Brown, and Aretha Franklin. The soundtrack is a great collection of original 'soul' and 'rhythm & blues' made with sheer dedication, admiration and respect for the music.

Cocteau Twins "Blue Bell Knoll" (1988)

Blue Bell Knoll
release date: Sep. 19, 1988
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Cocteau Twins
label: 4AD Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Athol-brose" - 3. "Carolyn’s Fingers" (4 / 5) (live on Later) - 5. "The Itchy Glowbo Blow" - 6. "Cico Buff" - 7. "Suckling the Mender" - 9. "A Kissed Out Red Floatboat" - 10. "Ella Megalast Burls Forever"

5th studio album by Cocteau Twins, who is back again as a trio with Simon Raymonde on bass. It's their first really clear dream pop album since their so far best effort, Treasure (1984), and after having released the more introvert and ambient, instrumental album Victorialand (1986) at a time when Raymonde wasn't able to record with the band. Cocteau Twins is already famous for Guthrie's guitar sound, the shoegazing dream pop and Fraser's beautiful echoing vocal, and here they pick up the style from the '84 album.
Without being great the album is a clear improvement to the darker '86 album Victorialand.

The Undertones "Positive Touch" (1981)

cover vinyl

Positive Touch

release date: May 5, 1981

format: vinyl / cd (1994 reissue)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]

producer: Roger Bechirian

label: Ardeck - nationality: Northern Ireland, UK

Track highlights: A) 1."Fascination" - 2. "Julie Ocean" (4 / 5) - 3. "Life's Too Easy" - 4. "Crisis of Mine" - 6. "His Good Looking Girlfriend" - - B) 1. "When Saturday Comes" - 2. "It's Going To Happen!" (5 / 5) - 3. "Sigh & Explode" - 6. "Boy Wonder" - *15. "Kiss in the Dark" - *16. "Beautiful Friend" - 17. "Life's Too Easy (Alternate Version)" - *18. "Fairly in the Money Now"

*Bonus track on 1994 cd reissue

3rd studio album by The Undertones and the follow-up to Hypnotised (1980), which quite naturally was perceived as the difficult second album after a most stunning debut, and Hypnotised actually succeeded better than critics had imagined it would. With that, the band succesfully bonded with the sheer energy of the punk rock debut and at the same time proved to be able to take their style to a new territory mixing it with pop / rock and more subtle new wave, although, you could argue that the strongest moments still bore the energy of the debut, but nevertheless, the band showed more diversity with an album that went as high as to number #6 on the UK albums chart list - a peak performance of any studio album by The Undertones.

Positive Touch is a big leap in terms of style changes - and perhaps it distances itself too much, both by being their most incoherent album, and also for introducing a bold use of brass and strings. Looking at the highlights, though, it's remarkable that it both contains near soul pop-tunes like "Sigh & Explode" and "Julie Ocean" AND "It's Going to Happen!" - a song which is up there amongst their absolute best but which also appears very much on its own. The band had tried really hard not to be political and they were at times critizised for not addressing the ongoing Northern Irish conflict and here they actually make produce their possibly most political statement with "It's Going to Happen!"

The 1994 expanded cd is the better release with at least three fine bonus tracks - "Beautiful Friend" is a non-album single, which came out in between Positive Touch and The Sin of Pride but it fits nicely on the album alongside "Fascination" and "Julie Ocean". In retrospect, Positive Touch still is a mighty fine album showing how you could make the difficult transition from punk rock to pop / rock with bits of power pop and Northern soul bonding quite nicely with how beat artists of the 60s made the transition by employing blues and r&b to form new musical styles.

[ 😲allmusic.com, Smash Hits 4,5 / 5, Select 4 / 5, 👎Blender 3 / 5 stars ]

1994 cd-reissue

10,000 Maniacs "Love Among the Ruins" (1997)

Love Among the Ruins

release date: Jun. 17, 1997
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,35]
producer: John Keane
label: Geffen Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Rainy Day" - 2. "Love Among the Ruins" - 5. "Green Children" - 7. "More Than This" - 11. "Shining Light"

6th studio album by 10,000 Maniacs following nearly five years after Our Time in Eden (Sep. 1992) is the first without Nathalie Merchant, who has been substituted by Mary Ramsey, and back in the band is founding member guitarist and songwriter John Lombardo, making the band a sextet once again. The style has changed to be less jangle pop, less mainstream pop / rock, and with more stress on traditional folk, and what's more apparent is that the great songs simply are absent. Nathalie Merchant almost wrote all lyrics for the band and now that part is left to the band as such, and although, Ramsey is not a bad singer, it's just that she simply doesn't have an instrument of a matching caliber to substitute Merchant. A cover version of "More Than This" originally performed by Roxy Music (written by Bryan Ferry) doesn't present the magic of the original. This is one of the band's least successful albums to date, imho, although, I'm fully aware that by losing old fans they still manage to attract a new audience, who find the new stylistic blend and sound a welcoming turn to traditional folk.
With this, I initially lost my interest in the band, who by no means was seen as a mere failure. I do think that some of the original fans really welcomed the return of Lombardo - the band's original guitarist and songwriter - and with him, 10,000 Maniacs returned to a more traditional stand of folk pop, which had been the basis for the duo John & Mary (Lombardo & Ramsey). Shortly after this, guitarist Robert Buck took a year off from the band to focus on another musical project but he returned again for what was regarded the final album from 1999. Sadly however, he passed away from a liver failure in Dec. 2000, which by then nearly put an end to the band.
Love Among the Ruins is not my recommended album to start with but it's part of the discography of 10,000 Maniacs albeit a fine example of contemporary soft rock founded on traditional folk, and in retrospect I do find it one of the band's best albums without Merchant. If you, as I do, associate this band with the sound of Nathalie Merchant, I suggest starting with the band's first five studio albums.
[ allmusic.com 2 / 5, Rolling Stone 2,5 / 5 stars ]

Peter Murphy "Deep" (1989)

Deep
release date: Dec. 19, 1989
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Simon Rogers
label: Beggars Banquet - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Deep Ocean Vast Sea" - 3. "Crystal Wrists" - 5. "Seven Veils" - 7. "Cuts You Up" (4,5 / 5)

3rd solo album by Peter Murphy following nearly two years after Love Hysteria (Mar. 1988). Here Murphy crawls back in a more 'safe place' and makes his own pop / rock version of gothic rock. Murphy has often been compared to David Bowie but on this, he sounds more like another influential icon of his: Iggy Pop, and frankly, it doesn't really make things any better. It's nice to have sources of inspiration, it's not bad at all, that is, when you are able to point them out, and remember their personal traits, but it's not really original when an artist copies another as Murphy blatantly does here. As had been the case on Love Hysteria (1988), most tracks are co-written with guitarist and keyboardist, Paul Statham including one of Murphy's best songs ever: Cuts You Up. The remaining songs are not really near that level, and it's almost a mediocre attempt of doing justice to his most recent album, and if one had hoped to see / hear Murphy re-connect with what worked on his debut, it's not to be found on this one.
Only recommended for "Cuts You Up".
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Mew "Frengers" (2003)

Frengers
release date: Jun. 16, 2003
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,95]
producer: Rich Costey
label: Sony BMG - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: 1. "Am I Wry? No" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "156" - 3. "Snow Brigade" (4 / 5) - 4. "Symmetry" - 5. "Behind the Drapes" - 6. "Her Voice Is Beyond Her Years" - 7. "Eight Flew Over, One Was Destroyed" - 8. "She Came Home for Christmas" (4 / 5) - 9. "She Spider" (5 / 5) - 10. "Comforting Sounds" (4 / 5)

3rd studio album by Mew and the first to have an original international release, which makes it the band's international debut. Six of the tracks are remakes of tracks either issued on the debut album (1 track) or on the band's follow-up album Half the World Is Watching Me (2000). Track #8 is the only one from the debut, but like the other remakes, track #1, #2, #4, #6, and #10, these versions are better produced, or at least with a different aim in sound. Georgian 14 year-old Becky Jarrett features on track 4, and Swedish pop vocalist Stina Nordenstam features on track #6. Only four tracks are new but then again: the tracks on this album are all unique, and having only issued the first two albums in very limited numbers this album is a necessity.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Uncut 4 / 5, Sputnikmusic 5 / 5 stars ]

The Killers "Hot Fuss" (2004)

2005 reissue

Hot Fuss [debut]
release date: Jun. 7, 2004
format: cd (LTD. 2005 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,04]
producer: Jeff Saltzman, The Killers
label: Island Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" - 2. "Mr. Brightside" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Smile Like You Mean It" (5 / 5) - 4. "Somebody Told Me" (4 / 5) - 5. "All These Things That I've Done" (5 / 5) - 6. "Andy, You're a Star" - 7. "On Top" (4 / 5) - 9. "Believe Me Natalie" - *12. Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll - *14. Under the Gun
*Bonus track on 2005 reissue, Limited Edition

Studio album debut by The Killers consisting of vocalist Brandon Flowers (also credited on synths), guitarist Dave Keuning, bassist Mark Stoermer, and with drummer Ronnie Vannucci, Jr. The 2005 Limited Edition reissue contains three bonus tracks with a total running time at 56 minuntes (the standard album runs 45 mins.). Most of the tracks are co-written by Flowers together with either Keuning or Stoermer as musical composer.

The Las Vegas-founded quartet is one among many bands hitting off on the post-punk revival wave of the early noughts, but The Killers is a special band who makes its distinct positive version of post-punk. Lyrically, it may not be in concordance with the majority of that style's original artists of the early 1980s, and one may argue that it's not really post-punk. At least it's a fine combination of pop / rock, synth-rock in the lighter end of alt. rock with traces of post-punk. Perhaps, you could argue that The Killers share traits with American colleagues of My Chemical Romance, The Rapture and later on, The Bravery, all of them with bold focus on harmony-based post-punk and / or power pop. Furthermore, the style also share stylistic influence with that of early Depeche Mode and a more pop-oriented New Order, which may just explain The Killers' huge and immediate success in Britain.

Hot Fuss is one of my favourites of 2004, one of the best albums of the decade, and in retrospect, it also remains the band's best effort ever.

Tracks #2-5 are included on the best of album Direct Hits (2013).

[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, The Times 5 / 5 stars ]

2004 standard edition

Paul Weller "Stanley Road" (1995)

Stanley Road
release date: May 15, 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Paul Weller, Brendan Lynch
label: Go! Discs - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "The Changingman" - 3. "I Walk On Gilded Splinters" - 4. "You Do Something to Me" (4,5 / 5) (live) (live with Adele) - 5. "Woodcutter's Son" (live) - 9. "Out of The Sinking" (4 / 5) - 10. "Pink on White Walls" - 12. "Wings of Speed"

3rd studio album by Paul Weller. The album is one of Weller's best reputed solo albums. It's more pop / rock founded, and after being lauded by almost all the new bands and artists in britpop as a national icon - as the source to the style of contemporary British working class pop / rock, Weller himself takes a sort of a look down memory lane. Stanley Road hosted his childhood residence in Woking.

The album was released positive reviews and has found its way to Mojo's "The 100 Greatest Albums of Our Lifetime" (2006).

I have never loved this particular album all that much, although, I find it slightly betting his solo debut. Yes, it does contain great songs, and the level is above most other pop / rock releases, but overall, and being anything but mediocre, it simply lacks more than just a general appeal to me, anyway.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3 / 5, Uncut Magazine 4 / 5, Mojo 5 / 5 stars ]

Turboweekend "Share My Thunder" (2015)

Share My Thunder
release date: Mar. 30, 2015
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Turboweekend
label: Parlophone Denmark / Warner - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Asking for More" - 2. "Disco to Disco" - 4. "Levitate" - 5. "Miles and Miles" (4 / 5) - 7. "Another Woman's Man" - 10. "Good Luck in Barcelona" - 11. "Share My Thunder" (4,5 / 5)

4th and final full studio album by Turboweekend, who keep to their indietronica style. It's strange how their albums have always opened up gradually from what I found just okay to much better over a period of time. I bought the album upon its release and likewise, this was just so-so the first time, but already more interesting the second and third time, and after three months it has shown its potential. That's just how it is with some music. I think, I have to wait some more months to digest it and eventually rate it fully. By now I find it better and really good, but will it be great? Anyway, it betters most other national releases and as such it's my favourite Danish album of the year, and although, it's only just bettering the 2009 album Ghost of a Chance, I don't quite find that it's up there with the band's so far best album Fault Lines from 2012. My favourite composition is the end-track "Share My Thunder" with a very special template. With a running time at 8:57 it's easily the longest track. It contains both fine chorus parts as well as being a strong experimental progressive pop / rock anthem with hints from post-rock, AND it also consists of two rather different halves, which works brilliantly. I have played it over and over - each time ending with a sensation of surprise as to how short it felt. To me, this is the song of the album, and what a single it could have been!
EDIT 2019:
In January 2017 the band released the live album Close-Up - only as a downloadable album, and apparently, they had been recording tracks for a new album throughout 2017 when they in Feb. 2018 announced that the upcoming tour instead would be their farewell tour, and by the end of 2018 Turboweekend ceased to exist.

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark "Liberator" (1993)

Liberator
release date: Jun. 14, 1993
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,46]
producer: Andy McCluskey, Phil Coxon
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Stand Above Me" - 11. "Christine"

9th studio album by OMD, which continue as McCluskey's solo-project now only featuring Phil Coxon on programming, whereas band member Nigel Ipinson only contribute on one track. All other musicians are credited as additional personnel.

Liberator takes off in the footsteps of Sugar Tax (1991) thus being synthpop and dance pop material and probably the closest to a pure europop and eurodance album.

None of the three single releases from the album were hits - with the first single release "Stand Above Me" topping at #21 on the UK singles charts list. The album peaked at number #14 in the UK.

Personally, I feel more or less as I did with Sugar Tax, it's really not an interesting release, but it's even worse than that and it may even top The Pacific Age (1986) in a negative sense by being the band's least favourable album to date. It's a task to pin out the highlights 'cause what is such a thing when it's really about being least poor of the poor?!

Not recommended.

[ allmusic.com 2 / 5 stars ]

Eldkvarn "Kungarna från Broadway" (1988)

Kungarna från Broadway
release date: 1988
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5]

12th studio album by Eldkvarn. Musically, this is highly inspired by an American pop / rock tradition or roots rock e.g. Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.